Reviewed by Harry Kaplan

Mike found me, I didn’t find Mike. About a year and a half ago, I got a message on Facebook from Mike about his music. I get a lot of music and it runs the gamut. Some is fantastic, but most of it really isn’t my style. I try not to say “good or “bad” since it is just a matter of taste and opinion. So when I got the package from Mike with his first two CDs, my expectations weren’t too high. Once I listened, I was a convert. I couldn’t believe my ears. The singing, songwriting, musical composition, and overall sound was fantastic. I ended up putting Mike’s first two albums on Twangri-La Radio, where they remain in full rotation.

When I was starting the record label, Mike was one of the first people to reach out and offer his support. When he told me he wanted to put an album out on Twangri-La Records, I was ecstatic. Once I heard the demos, I knew we had a winner. The songs are great and the subject matter is dealt with so eloquently.

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Reviewed by Harry Kaplan

There was huge surge in music sales after people saw Ken Burn’s documentary, Country Music. All of the Mount Rushmore country artists saw a huge increase in their royalty checks. That is great, but it also highlights the fact that people are unaware that the music that people revere is still very much alive and well.

These aren’t tribute bands, these are performers carrying on a long tradition. One of those such bands is The Reeves Brothers. This is not just a copy, this is a case where performers are giving an interpretation of traditional country music. They are using modern recording equipment and are incorporating influences from rock, jazz, and singer/songwriters. But it is still as “country” and twangy AF.

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Reviewed by Mae Hunt

Arlo McKinley’s soulful album, Die Midwestern, is chock-full of vulnerability and brutal honesty. Released on August 14th and recorded with Oh Boy Records, the 10-track album contains songs reminiscent of indie folk (We Were Alright) and others that are cut and dry country (She’s Always Around). The album highlights McKinley’s versatility, which is also evident in his Post Malone and Rihanna covers! In all, the album can get just about anyone feeling both sentimental and appreciative of good music. 

In 2014, McKinley released his debut album with his band The Lonesome Sound, which turned into nominations for Album of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and Best Americana Act from the Cincinnati Music Awards. Since then, McKinley has performed alongside musicians including Tyler Childers, John Moreland, and Jason Isbell. The highly anticipated Die Midwestern speaks volumes about McKinley’s talents. I particularly enjoy the intensely personal look McKinley gives us of his life as he often reflects on his experiences living in Ohio and breaking free from ties there.

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Interviewed by Mae Hunt

In Part Two of Wonk’s interview, we talk about her experience releasing an album in the midst of a pandemic and her new life living and working at a yoga studio in Ecuador. Wonk shares some insight into how she chooses to see the positivity in the midst of difficult times. It’s a deep conversation and emphasizes how she isn’t afraid to dance to the beat of her own drum!

WT: Wonky Tonk TL: Twangrila

TL: So the album was released in April, which was right in the midst of the pandemic. That must have been quite an interesting time to release an album.

WT: It was. And you know, I pitched it in a mystical way, of these numbers that just felt right. So, it was April 24^th, and all these round numbers, I think they’re feminine and creative to me. And I was in Ecuador. I was supposed to come home. I had a tour lined up, so big, with the biggest people, Charlie Parr, and the now-deceased Justin Townes Earl. I had Wonky Tonk beers being released and distributed on two different occasions, and CD release parties, and all that stuff.

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